leitz used to be a one-source company: r&d, make their own glass, machine their own mounts...now these are just a commodity.

am i hurting the company by not buying new?

-- steve (leitz_not_leica@hotmail.com), June 01, 2002

Answers

I bought my M3 used; then I bought a new 50mm Summicron LTM Leica lens..I am sure that purchase in some way helps Leica

-- Kelly Flanigan (zorki3c@netscape.net), June 01, 2002.

How many people can afford to keep buying new Leicas without selling any old ones? And how many people would buy new Leicas knowing nobody would want them second-hand making their resale value zero? Buying second-hand is part of the natural order of the world.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 01, 2002.

It still basically is a one source company. I would hardly call Schott Glass a "commodity."

-- Glenn Travis (leicaddict@hotmail.com), June 01, 2002.

"am i hurting the company by not buying new?"

In the direct sense yes you are, unless of course whomever you purchased used from kicks a portion of the sale price to Leica.

Indirectly however, Jay may have hit upon it when he mentions that the reputation enjoyed by the companys product for holding resale value most certainly plays a part in the mind of many new purchasers.

Not all of course, but certainly some.

Best,

Jerry

-- Jerry Pfile (Jerry Pfile@MSN.com), June 01, 2002.

I just bought a MIB 0.58x for a good price from Rich at Photo Village (.com). He has two cameras on trade from a person X and when they are sold, Rich will send the person X a M7. Leica is happy, Rich is happy, I am happy and the person X is happy. Sounds good to me.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), June 01, 2002.

Its the circle of life. Just purchased a 90mm TE from a thread member who was raising funds for a new M7.

-- john bosso (jbee193@aol.com), June 01, 2002.

Schott glass is a commodity in the optical manufacturing world.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), June 01, 2002.

Personal Opinion:

A new Leica doesn't excite me. You can get equally good images for 1/4 the proce by using Canon, Nikon, etc.

I get supurb images using my Minolta SRT101 system!

For me, using older leicas provides a challenge...kinda like flying a biplane without crashing into a mountain! That's just where I'm coming from.

-- Todd Frederick (fredrick@hotcity.com), June 01, 2002.

The household here has had 2 washers since 1947; both are by the same company...Their slogan is "You can be sure in its ------------"..The 2nd unit was purchased in the mid 1970's ..( heck it was out of style!) then two years ago the drive cycle was getting goofed up; I bought a new motor; but I found that the rear tub bearing's grease was all hardened..So I relubed it with a more modern Mobil-1 sythethic oil; and then grease and all is fine....The new motor sits in a box waiting like a military backup....A belt was replaced last year; it was the original 1970's belt.....Next task is new pump; these develop a leak every decade or so.....................

Maytag came out with a front loader; but angled the drum and did not study Westinghouse's 1940's design...so the first Neptune washers have a stink to them do to the collected water in the tub boot......This is the typical lack of studying a successfull design; and starting anew with out any appreciation of what works and why......Kelly

-- Kelly Flanigan (zorki3c@netscape.net), June 02, 2002.

Kelly (and any other Maytag Neptune owners),

OT I guess, but I also bought a Neptune about 5 years ago, our third Maytag in 38 years (and four kids). Ours mildewed and smelled also after the warranty. Called Maytag about two years after warranty expired.

They have a "silent recall" in which the fix it for free with a new front bladder that drains itself.

Best,

Jerry

-- Jerry Pfile (Jerry Pfile@MSN.com), June 02, 2002.

After paying $40 for a new Leica lens cap, and $35 for a new camera strap, and $40 for new M and $ body caps, I think I have somehow directly benefited the "Company".

-- Steve Brantley (superglidesport@mindspring.com), June 02, 2002.